


Tales of a Titan

by Xx_ATrain_xX



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-05-06
Packaged: 2019-04-05 00:41:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,249
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14032365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xx_ATrain_xX/pseuds/Xx_ATrain_xX
Summary: The grand adventures, and the not so grand adventures, of Imara-582 and her Ghost, nicknamed G. The Vanguard backs her, Commander Zavala trusts her with his life, Ikora has faith in her strengths, and Cayde... Well, Cayde-6 has his own way of showing his trust and faith in her. Possibly more than the other Vanguards realize.





	1. Lost and Found

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is my first work on AO3! Hopefully you all like it! Any constructive criticism or likes are hugely appreciated!! Also, I have a few head cannons about the Vanguards and Guardians in general, so I hope everyone understands that! :)

Years. That’s how long they had been arguing like this. Well, more like bickering for centuries. Literally. 

And it drove the other two Vanguards up the wall because they often bickered in their meeting hall at the Tower. 

 The arguments were never complicated or even serious topics. It was mostly ‘ _You drank the last of the coffee and didn’t refill the pot_ ’ usually followed by ‘ _Woman! I don’t drink coffee!_ ’ As the Cayde-6 unit wiped his mouth with his cloak and pushed a cup of cold coffee behind him on the table. 

Imara-582 never could handle more than a few moments of bickering with him. She would scoffed, growl, or just... click, before marching over to Zavala and demanding a mission. Cayde always thought he won when he’d watch her storm out, her little cyan colored Ghost floating next to her.

His own Ghost had been trying to get him to be more pleasant with the Titan Exo. He ignore him every time. 

 Yes, Cayde always thought he had won their petty arguments when she’d storm out, fading into the light as her Ghost got her to their ship. But almost as soon as she left, he’d realize that it was _her_ that won every time. Because she got to leave and go on adventures. She can escape the boredom of the Tower. 

His day consisted of handing out jobs, rewards, stoping fights between Hunters, or offering advice for new Hunters. Occasionally a Titan or Warlock will come to him for his expertise in certain areas. But they were far and few between. 

 They weren’t always like this. Before he lost that bet and became the Hunter Vanguard, they were partners. A Fire team with their Warlock counter, an Awoken man called Jurros. And as far as Cayde knew, Jurros and Imara no longer work together. Maybe small, nothing missions. Since their team broke, the Titan worked alone. 

And maybe that was the reason for Imara’s constant annoyance with Cayde. Perhaps she felt abandoned by him and Jurros. Is wasn’t the case. Cayde had to keep his word and become the Hunter Vanguard. And it wasn’t like he _wanted_ the job. He was forced into it. She used to visit often, cracking jokes about other Guardians or about Vex, Fallen, or the Hive. But her visits slowed until stopping all together. And then the arguments started. At first, they were actual reasonable fights. Then as time went on, it seemed the two Guardians could buttheads over any small detail. 

After a particularly nasty argument between Vanguard and Titan, Imara-582 had requested a rather lengthy operation. Something about taking out a Hive Leader before they finished a ritual for summoning the dead. Or something. Cayde didn’t pay much attention due to a Hunter coming for his advice. It would’ve taken her to the Moon. Not a far trip, but a difficult one none the less. But given her talent and skill, Cayde had high hopes for his… bicker partner. 

Only it had been almost three weeks since Imara’s last check in with the Tower. She was never one for tardiness, even by a few hours if she could help it. Something else she and Cayde argued about often. His lack of communication. 

The Hunter Vanguard couldn’t help the slight queasy feeling in his gut, mechanical or not. Maybe it was gut instinct, or picking up on hints. Something was wrong. And Zavala seemed to pick up on it too. Imara-582 was close friends with all members of the council. 

 

“Cayde. I’ve a favor to ask of you.” Zavala said after the third week of Imara’s disappearance, was coming to an end. The Exo turned, folding his arms over his chest, dismissing whatever Hunter he was talking with. “As you know, Imara-582’s last communication with the Tower was nearly three weeks ago. She is one of our best Guardians and one of my best Titans. Lord Shaxx has also been wondering where his Champion has gone too.” 

“Is there a point to this, Zavala? I’m a very busy Vanguard, What with the standing around and such.” Cayde drawled on, growing bored. On the outside. On the inside, he knew what his Fire Team Leader was about to ask, or request, or even order him. It had gotten to the point where Cayde didn’t even care anymore, He was half tempted to make up some excuse and go find Mara himself. 

Zavala sighed and glanced to Ikora. She raised a hand, turning away from him to speak to her Warlock, who was waiting patiently for her Vanguard. The Awoken Titan seemed like he was about to drop the subject. 

“I need you to go find my Guardian. With recent and disturbing activity from the Cabal, I need her to go to Mars to investigate.” He finally said. It almost seemed painful for him to ask this of the Hunter. 

Cayde couldn’t let Zavala have the satisfaction of him agreeing so quickly. So Cayde thoughtfully stroked his blue alloy chin. “So I can, what? Offer her some help only to be snapped at? Maybe punched? Or maybe ill get lucky and she’ll just send me into the void herself?” He guessed. “What am I supposed to get out of this, Zavala? I’m sure she won’t want my help.” He pointed out. 

Zavala sighed, setting his hands on his hips. His large shoulder pads blocking about half of his face. If Cayde wasn’t looking right front at him, he probably would’ve only seen the red and black markings of the Titan marks. 

He gave the Hunter a pointed look. Almost as if he was mentally saying _‘you and I both know you were going anyway.’_

Cayde gave a dramatic sigh and threw his hands in the air. “Fine! Fine! I’ll go fetch your precious Titan.” He exclaimed, turning on his heel and swaggering out past Ikora. 

“Ikora, wipe that smirk off your face!” He added, pointing over his shoulder at her as he walked out of the Council Room.  

Ikora chuckled slightly, shaking her head. She sent her Warlocks on their way before she turned to Zavala. “You do realize we may be out one-third of our Fire Team now.” She pointed out, leaning over the table. Zavala sighed. 

“Who better to hunt down a Guardian known for never leaving a trace, than the Hunter Vanguard?” He reminded.  

Cayde walked to the pavilion of the Guardian Tower. His Ghost nudging his arm and face the entire way as he walked to the center. He swatted at him slightly, pausing and turning to his Ghost. He glanced around to see Guardian’s watching him closely before averting their eyes from the Hunter. The Cayde-6 Unit turned back to his Ghost. 

“Somethin’ to say?” He asked, feigning oblivion.  

“You care for the Titan.” He said bluntly. “Which is against your code as a Vanguard. And as a Guardian to begin with.” He said said urgently. Cayde rolled his light eyes.  

“I do _not_ care about Imara-582. Your circuits are as fried as mine if you think that.” He said defensively. There wasn’t much he could hide from his dark grey plated Ghost. His companion. A good friend at this point in his career. 

“If you want to grill me on this, do it in the ship. And not where other Guardians can hear you.” He added with a bit of an edge. His Ghost shifted slightly before fading. Cayde followed a few gear-beats later, ending up in his ship. 

“Ah, there we go.” He said, clapping then rubbing his hands together before taking the controls. His Ghost reappeared next to him, turning and whirring slightly by his head. He swatted at him, his Ghost easily dodging his attempts. 

“What? What do you want from me?” Cayde asked dramatically as he turned to launch the warp drive.  

“You said I could ‘ _grill you_ ’ on our last subject in the ship.” The Ghost said innocently. The Exo Hunter groaned and relaxed back into his seat as they started the short jump to the Moon. 

“Fine, Fine! What do you want to know?” He grumbled in defeat. 

“Why you care for the Titan so much after you left her to become the Vanguard.” 

“Oof, loaded question.” He mumbled before sitting up in his seat. “Look, I don’t ‘care’ about her like your thinking. Zavala asked me to help, and what kind of team member would I be if I refused him?” He figured it was a pretty convincing lie. Unfortunately, Ghost didn’t think so. Though he didn’t have a face, Cayde knew him well enough, or he liked to think he did, to know that certain ‘ _Look_ ’ from the machine. “Fine... maybe I’m just trying to make sure an old friend isn’t dead in some Hive ritual. This was an easy job for Imara-582, she should’ve been done by now.” He finally admitted, steeling his gaze and looking out the front of the ship. 

“Do you believe that by saying her full identification number, your feelings will dwindle for her?” He questioned. Cayde turned, giving his Ghost a look as if to say ‘ _You wanna stay floating in the air?_ ’ 

“Fine. But when you’re exiled from the Vanguard and from the Guardians, don’t come crying to me.” He said before fading off, leaving Cayde in a comfortable, yet annoying, silence. 

\-----

It didn’t take long for Cayde to reach the Moon. Ghost dropped him off, appearing next to him in a moment. The Hunter turned to his Ghost, waiting for some kind of information. 

“Any day now, bud.” Cayde said, impatiently as he casually swung his side arm around. It was almost like he was just _begging_ something to try and kill him. Not that he could really die. His Ghost would just resurrect him. Again. 

“Incoming transmission from Zavala. But, I am picking up a distress signal deep within the Moon.” He said. Cayde was already summoning a Sparrow of the highest caliber, obviously. 

“Tell Zavala to leave a message.” He said before speeding over the dirt. He followed the waypoints his Ghost provided, despite already knowing where the entrance to the Hive territory was. Either his Sparrow, which he was pushing to the limit, or his pure determination, he got to the entrance in record time. Most likely the former of the two. 

There was a Knight patrolling outside the entrance. Cayde could practically smell it from his position over the cliff. And that was without even having a nose. He readied his sidearm, checking to make sure it was fully loaded before jumping down. He slid over the rocks, causing a small dust trail to follow behind him. He jogged a few steps before slowing to a walk. Crouching behind a rock, he peered around, firing two shots, one to the head and the other to the heart. The Knight disappeared with a cry and into a million fiery flakes. The Hunter swaggered into the open area before the Hive territory entrance. His Ghost appeared besides him, whirring and clicking slightly. 

“I’m picking up her Ghost’s distress call.” He paused. “They are deep within the moon, near the center of the Hive’s control. They have almost completed a ritual that required a sacrifice of an outsider...” Cayde was already walking before he even finished. He knew the inside of this labyrinth, he knew Imara did too. “You know you can’t just go in guns ablaze, right?” Ghost said, keeping up with his Guardians brisk pace. 

“The hell I can’t. I’ve done it before, haven’t I? I’ll do it again.” Cayde-6 said casually. 

“That was before a death was necessary for a ritual to raise literal Hell!” Cayde finally stopped walking and turned to his Ghost. 

“She can’t die? Her Ghost would resurrect her... Right?” He said. He honestly hoped that was the truth. Because if it was, then maybe it could be like the old days before he was a Vanguard. They could deal with this threat, whether he succeeded in getting her out and stopping the ritual all together, or Cayde-6 and Imara-582 would battle the forces of Hell side by side. Probably arguing over who was the idiot that let it happen in the first place. 

“They are draining her light... whatever forces are at work, she will not be able to be resurrected if we do not succeed with this rescue.” Ghost said with a disturbing amount of calm. 

Cayde, on the other hand, was about to, in his words, loose his shit.  

“WHAT?! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY THAT BEFORE!” He snapped.  

“It was part of Zavala’s message.” He stated calmly. Cayde groaned, scrubbing at his face, before he paced back and forth. He stopped at the edge of the pathway, looking down at the deep drop. If he fell, it would surly kill him. 

He knelt down by the edge, looking down. 

“How long do we have before she’s gone?” He questioned. “Zavala would kill me if I came back with a dead Guardian in my arms, especially if it’s one of his Titans.” He clarified. 

Ghost was quiet for a heartbeat. “Two hours. Maybe less for the time it will take us to get down to her location.” He said. Cayde stood and glanced over his shoulder to the Ghost. 

“It’ll take less time than you think.” He said before jumping off the edge of the path. He could faintly hear his Ghost calling after him as he dropped into the black. He pulled out a large hunting knife, flipped it once and it froze over pale blue. He turned, forcing it into the rock, slowing his decent. A blue line, cracked and trailed by ice followed the blade. The brightest thing, aside from the Exo himself. 

Finally he stopped dead in the rock, only a meter or two above the ground. He looked down, exhaling slightly. 

“Well.. this is gonna hurt.” He muttered before wrenching his blade from the rock. He let out a slight shout as his feet hit the ground. He dropped and rolled away, momentum leaving him quickly. But not quick enough, which he soon realized as his back slammed into a rock, feet above his head. 

He groaned, grumbling about his head as he finally got himself to his feet. His Ghost casually appeared next to his head. The Exo could literally _feel_ the judgment coming off from him. 

“Less time then I think, huh?” He grumbled. Cayde shrugged his shoulders casually, unbothered by the rather... sizable crack in the rock he slammed. 

 “Well I was right, wasn’t I?” Cayde-6 said. “Said it was gonna hurt; which it did, _and_ it was fast!” He said proudly. Ghost sighed, grumbling slightly under its ‘breath’. 

“C’mon. We’re wasting time now. Lecture me about safety later.” He said, pulling out his sidearm and making his way to the waypoints his Ghost set for him. 

 “I’m going to hold you to that. And Imara-582, if her Ghost doesn’t beat me to it.” Ghost said as he and Cayde ran through the Hive territory. 

 

It took far too long for Cayde’s liking to even remotely reach the chamber where his fellow Exo was being held. But before he could even start scanning the room, Ghost stopped him. 

“It took us almost an hour to find her. meaning she has even less time now. You can’t go in gun’s blazing.” He said again. 

 “The hell I can’t. You’ve already told me this.” He added. He frowned at his Ghost, peaking around a corner to see Thrall, Acolytes, and a Knight. Easy targets to deal with. The only problem is trying to get past them all without raising any alarms, and Thrall tend to… swarm an enemy. 

“Shit, is that a Cursed Thrall?” He hissed under his breath, seeing the glowing blue head of the explosive Hive member.  

“Like I said, you can’t go in like you normally do. You need a plan.” Ghost said. Cayde swore under his breath.  

“No time to come up with one. Besides, winging it is what I do best.” The Hunter said before jumping into the room. His first shot landed in the Cursed Thrall, causing an explosion to take out another three Thrall. He managed to deal with the Acolytes easily enough, leaving more Thrall to swarm him and the Knight blocking the exit. 

“Hang on Mara, I’m on my way.” He muttered before he punched his arm into the air. Golden light flared around him and his weapon as he fired off a shot at the Knight and at the surrounding Thrall. 

“Ah, there see. Quick and easy, just the way I like it.” He said proudly, setting his hands on his hips as he swaggered to the next room. 

“Cayde. We have less than forty-five minutes to find Imara.” Ghost said bluntly. Cayde froze before turning to him, half tempted to slap him a little. He decided that could wait until later and turned to run to the next room 

Five minutes later and Cayde stood outside the main hall, thingy. He looked inside, and his jaw dropped slightly. Imara-582 hung suspended from a wall, three Wizards floating around her, chanting in the Hive tongue. Acolytes, Knights, and Thrall surrounded, crouched and with heads bowed. Three Knights, nine Acolytes and God know’s how many Thrall. 

Cayde-6 and his trusty Ghost had only one chance to get Imara out of this place. 

“Kill the three Wizards, and she gets her light back right?” He said quietly to his Ghost. He nodded. 

“Wheres her Ghost?” He muttered, looking back into the room. Then he saw the faint flashing from her Ghost, across the room. He was held down by whatever the Hive covered him in. Cayde didn’t exactly want to stick around to find out. 

“Thirty minutes.” Ghost warned urgently. Cayde waved a hand at him. His Super wasn’t charged yet, he’d need to either stall until it was or use his ammo.  

“I know, I know!” He snapped. “We’ve only got one chance.” He muttered before jumping out. He managed to kill two of the Knights and one of the Acolytes with one clip. They rest screeched and charged him. The three Wizards hardly paid him any attention. He was apparently not nearly as interesting the Guardian hanging onto her last shred of Light. 

The Thrall swarmed him. As with most of his firefights, Cayde has a tendency to... blank. Muscle memory kicks in, along with instincts to stay alive. Ghost continues counting down the minutes remaining as he worked his way through the room, running to Imara-582’s Ghost companion. The Light whirred slightly as his own Ghost tried to bring it back. His Light flickered slightly and he managed to get into the air.  

“Can you float?” Cayde question, firing at the incoming enemies. A bob in the air as a nod.  “Then go distract the Wizards from finishing that ritual!” He exclaimed. A quick flash of Light and her Ghost was around the Wizards. One of them swatted at him, trying to knock him down. 

Cayde had to give the little guy some credit. He was... persistent when it came to the safety of his Guardian. Before he even really realized, his Super was charged again. But those Wizards had shields. Those shields would need to be down before he could use his Super and just deal with them easily. 

“On your six!” Ghost shouted. Cayde had just enough time to turn as a Thrall jumped, slashing at his chest and managing to bite down on his shoulder. It hurt like hell, and his shoulder had black oily goo leaking. The Thrall didn’t seem to mind as it slashed at him again, time time hitting his bicep just right to cause more goo to ooze and ruin his clothes. He got the muzzle of his hand cannon under it and blasted him down. He turned, pulling out an auto rifle. Not his favorite weapon, but it works in a pinch. 

 He fired at the Wizards, managing to knock their shields down enough. They turned and screeched at him, using whatever magic they had and threw flaming fire balls at him. He jumped behind cover for a moment, tossing his rifle up. Ghost grabbed it and tossed it back into his void. 

“Now or never, Cayde. She’s got five minutes.” He said. Cayde swallowed, if it’s possible, and nodded. He stood and used his Super. Three shots, three Wizards down. The gross green light surrounding them faded and the disgusting Hive slime disintegrated around Imara-582. She collapsed to the ground without so much as a groan. Cayde rushed to her, ignoring the burning in his shoulder and arm. He gently turned her over, leaning her against his knee.  

“Mara...” He muttered, hesitantly turning her chin. Her blue alloy steel face, orange paint splattered over her left eye-light. Her mouth fell open slightly, the yellow light far too dim for comfort. 

“Is she..” he trailed off, not wanting to say it out loud. Because if he did, that might make it true. 

“She’s alive... barely... the Hive.. used whatever dark magic they had to keep her unconscious.” Her Ghost said. 

“Get us back to the ship.” Cayde said, hardly taking his blue eyes off her. He hardly noticed when his own Ghost was piloting their ship back to the Tower. Mara’s Ghost landed softly on her armored chest. Like a little pet that didn’t want to leave its master. 


	2. Up and At 'em

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imara finally wakes up from her last mission

“Guardian? Guardian.” Her eyes flickered to life. Orange bulbs slowly floated through the room as her systems came back online. Her fingers moved softly over the sheets, feeling how soft they were despite the fact they were metal. They were white. Clean like the rest of the room. It wasn’t her apartment in the Tower. The window above her bed allowed the sunlight to stream through, the sounds of the city dull and muted. 

 

She turned slightly to see Ghost floating by her. His shell looked worse for wear. Despite having a face, she could read the concern and fear in his Light. 

 

“G..” she muttered. Exo’s we’re capable of many things. Facial expressions were... limited. But she always managed to show as much as she can. Besides, he could always read her like a book. G let out a slight sound like a sigh. 

 

“You’re awake.” He said. She groaned as she sat up. Her armor was stripped, leaving her in civilian clothes. A clean white shirt and pants, no shoes. She felt... light. And exposed. Her back felt empty without a weapon attached there. 

 

“Thanks to you, Little Light.” She said, pushing herself against the headboard behind her. The sheets fell down to her hips. Her once blue arms now had brighter, clean silver metal attached over the wires and circuits in her. 

 

“Well, not entirely me.” He said. “Cayde did most of the work. After Zavala sent him.” He said, a light laugh in his tone. She gave him a look, pausing her observation of her arms. 

 

“Cayde? As in the Vanguard?” She muttered. A bobbing nod. She let out a sigh through her mouth. “Then I suppose I owe him.” She said, turning to look out the window. “How long have I been out?” She asked. 

 

“Nearly a week.” G said. She nodded slightly. 

 

There was a knock on the door and a human woman stepped in. She smiled at the Exo, seeing her awake. She was a friendly face, a Guardian in her own right. Her Ghost floated next to her, already scanning G where he was. The doctor was no stranger. Imara has spent a number of times in her care. 

 

“Nearly did it this time.” She chided, like Imara was a child. Behind her, the Awoken Vanguard stepped into the room. He stood behind the doctor, giving his Guardian a slight nod. 

 

“I simply came by to see how you’re faring.” He explained. Imara nodded slightly. 

 

“Of course, Commander.” She said as the doctor ran through small tests. Seeing if she could still move her limbs, with the repairs and modifications. If her memory was still intact. Then she left, ordering rest and recovery for the Titan. “You know that’s not how I work.” She muttered as the directors footsteps echoed down the hall. Zavala chuckled lightly, pulling up a seat and sitting next to her. 

 

“I figured you’d say that. And normally, I’d send you on the next mission. But, you were drained of your Light. You nearly died, permanently.” He said. He always did sound like the concerned father. Despite being the Commander of Titan Guardians. The Exo sighed, turning to the window. Something in corner flashed and caught her eye for a second. She ignored it and looked out at the city. 

 

“Commander... why did you send Cayde to find me?” She asked, turning back to him. He sighed through his nose, his gaze focusing on something out in the city. 

 

“I was worried. And I knew Cayde was as well. Besides, he needed to get out of the Tower. It had been.. a while for him.” He explained. Imara let out a breath and nodded. “I’ll let you rest. Your Light is mostly back, but not entirely. So, you have to use caution and rest, Imara-582.” He said, getting to his feet. He walked to the door, turned and saluted her. She nodded slightly, also saluting him. He nodded and left, shutting the door to her room. 

Imara let out a breath, turning to the window again. 

 

“You’ve been there for a while now, I assume.” She said to the empty room. Well, not entirely empty. 

 

“What can I say. You were nearly dead, which would’ve been a loss to Guardians everywhere.” Cayde said, pushing himself from the shadows in the corner. His hood still covered part of his face, only lifting from his horn. His armor was stripped. He was dressed in the same white clothing, loose fitting and casual. New silver plating covered his arm and shoulder, his chest seemed... bulkier than before. 

 

“You look ridiculous.” She stated. Cayde placed a hand over where his heart used to be, feigning offense. 

 

“That’s no way to thank someone who saved your life.” He whined, taking the seat Zavala vacated. He groaned slightly, holding his arm closer to his chest. She raised a brow, watching him. 

 

“And in the process of saving me, the great Hunter Vanguard, Cayde-6, got himself injured.” She noted. 

 

“And if I hadn’t gone when I did, you’d be dead. For good this time.” He snipped. A silent stare down between them. It was Imara, in fact, who broke first. She turned to the window as her Ghost appeared next to her. He practically forced himself under her hand. Cayde was… surprised to see how she could visibly relax at the presence of her companion. 

 

“G says you came to _save_ me.” She muttered, bitting off the word _save_. She hated that anyone, especially Cayde, had to _save_ her. She was a Titan Exo, that was so relentless, needed to be wiped 582 times. And that was before her time as a Guardian. She turned back to the Vanguard. He seemed too interested in the fingernails that no longer existed. “He also said you were about to come find me with or without permission from the rest of your fire team.” She added with no small amount of satisfaction at the slight darkening in color in his mouth. 

 

“Well… We _were_ friends at some point, right?” He said. Her gaze lowered to the clean bedsheets. She picked absentmindedly at them. A gloved hand covered hers, stopping her fidgeting. 

“Right, Mara?” He asked again. She looked up at him, and for the first time in a long time, neither of them wanted to yell and argue. He hadn’t used her nickname since becoming the Vanguard. 

 

“Cayde… Are we? Since you became the Vanguard, you’ve been… distant.” She muttered. “It’s ridiculous, but…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “Never mind.” She muttered. She pulled her hand back, but it was slow. Like she didn’t _want_ to pull away, but she felt that she _needed_ to. “Don’t you have Vanguard business to take care of?” She said, reverting back to her usual stoic and somewhat cold self. 

 

“Seeing as I saved your ass, _you are_ my Vanguard business.” He stated in a tone she was all too familiar with. A tone that told her to shut up and listen to what he has to say. She usually humored him and listened to him. Most of the time, it was some insane plan to get them out alive. “Why do you always act like this? Like you cant stand to to even be in the same room as me?” He asked. He almost seemed… hurt by her actions. She stared at him, not letting any flicker of emotion. 

 

“My actions are my own. I hardly see the reason why I need to explain them to a _former_ partner.” She informed. She… missed him. And every time she left, it was to forget how she always left him in the Tower. And how he could never follow… 

 

“Then explain them to a Vanguard.” He ground out. She could easily see the growing annoyance in his eyes. The way he leaned forward in his seat, normally a calm and relaxed position. But his frame was tense. 

 

“Explain to a Vanguard? Well, when one shows up who _needs_ an explanation, send him my way.” She snipped, turning to the window. The chair screeched slightly as Cayde stood, the seat moving back with his abrupt movement. 

 

“Fine. Act like a stubborn Titan then. But when you’re dying in a Hive ritual again, don’t come crying to me, begging me to come save you.” He snapped, turning and marching towards the door. 

 

“Don’t you get it?” She snapped, turning and tossing the covers back. Cayde paused for a moment before taking a small step towards the door. 

“Maybe I act this way because its the only way you look at me. And I mean _really look_ at me!” She said, pushing herself to her feet. She swayed slightly, but gripped the back of the chair. The metal creaked under her hand as it bent in her grip. “Since you became the Vanguard, Jurros and I essentially became invisible. He left and joined another fire team, you were in the Vanguard fire team, and me? I was left alone to myself. I had no problem with that. I work better alone, but I didn’t want to loose my best friend in the process of him owning up to something important. Something I always knew he’d be able to handle.” She said, taking a step towards him. “But it was when he looked at me like every other Titan or Exo that crossed his path. It was when he treated me like I was another ‘no-brained-Titan’.” She took another step towards him, leaving the chair behind her. She hardly made it half way to him before falling forward. She would’ve hit the cold hard ground, instead she hit something much harder. Yet… warmer than the ground. She lifted her head slightly to see Cayde supporting most of her weight. 

 

“Told you not to push yourself, dumbass Titan.” He muttered, lifting her arm around his shoulders. He wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her back to the bed. He laid her down, sighing heavily. She could’ve think of anything, any snarky remark about him, or snippy comment about how he needs rest too. All that was running through her… processing mind was his arms around her. As sappy as it was, and as much as she hated sappy things like it. 

Her thoughts were interrupted when she was caged by a pair of metal arms. She looked up to see Cayde leaned over her, his arms braced on either side of her, essentially giving her no place to look but his glowing blue optic eyes. 

“I know whats running through your mind. We _were_ partners, remember?” He said, his voice dropping slightly. Imara knew her own face dropped, if that was possible. 

“Say it.” He said. It wasn’t a commanding tone, or even one coming from a Vanguard. Her optic eyes narrowed slightly, almost like she was glaring at him. His signature smirk and arrogance was making a show again at her obvious embarrassment. 

 

“Why should I? We both know it. Can’t we accept it and move on?” She questioned. He chuckled slightly, moving forward instead of moving away out of her space. 

 

“Typical Titan stubbornness.” He clicked in teasing annoyance. “You know, if this is going to work, you’re going to have to compromise _sometime_.” He teased, finally sitting back slightly. He sat on the edge of the bed, still close to her. Closer than most dared to sit with any Titan in general. 

 

“Typical Hunter arrogance.” She clicked back. “Always beating around the bush. Why cant _you_ compromise on anything? Why must it be the Titan?” She teased. 

 

“Fine. Lets compromise then. I wont say that ramen shop I love, and you don’t say that bar you love.” He said. She crossed her arms over her chest. 

 

“How can you _not_ like the Orion’s Belt Bar?” She muttered, turning away from from him. She looked out the window.  
“What about that little cafe?” She suggested, nodding her head. Cayde looked where she was, rubbing his chin. 

 

“Ehh… little close to the Tower, don’t you think?” He said. She rolled her eyes, turning back to him. 

 

“I know the owners. They offer complete discretion upon request. Even a small little private dinner area.” She said. Cayde raised a brow, relaxing next to her on the bed. She shifted over so he could comfortably lie on his back. She rolled her eyes, turning carefully on her side next to him. 

 

“How’d you hear of this place?” He asked, turning his head slightly to look at her. He crossed his good arm behind his head, letting the other rest between them. 

“And if it’s an illegal way, please don’t tell me.” He added. She rolled her eyes again. 

 

“Heard it from a friend. They offer animosity for Guardians who just… want to be civilians for a bit.” She explained. He clicked slightly, turning and looking at her. 

 

“Well… I’d say that qualifies for both os us.” He said, smiling slightly. She glanced down at his hand and nodded. She slid her hand down, wrapping her fingers around his own. 

 

“I agree.” She couldn’t help but smile slightly as he intertwined his gloved fingers with hers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, second chapter!


	3. Perfectly Imperfect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Imara finds a little something from Cayde after an argument.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so, this will probably jump around times and Cayde’s and Imara’s relationship. If there’s a flashback, I will post in the notes beforehand so hopefully there’s less confusion :)

It had been around five months. Five months of stolen moments in dark corners of the Tower, the rare night off spent together. Neither had real interest in anything sexual. Neither really had any idea how they’d go about anything like that.  
Their Ghost’s kept quiet as well, thankfully. G was always a bit of a gossip. But, he understands when to keep quiet, as does Cayde’s Ghost companion.   
Of course, Imara-582 and Cayde-6 still kept up the bickering act in front of the bother Vanguards and Guardians. And it was... almost refreshing to have an argument every day or so. Things they normally would’ve, and probably should’ve, argued about privately, were discussed in the Hall of Guardians mostly. But there were a few arguments in hidden corners. Mostly about certain missions the Titan would take without considering the Hunter.

Such an argument was currently happening. Imara-582 had taken the mission to find and destroy the Black Garden. With the help of the Awoken Queen, in exchange for bringing her a Gate Lords eye, for whatever reason.

“Mara, you can’t take this one! Let some other Guardian take it!” Cayde whispered quietly. It was late, near the Guardian Dorms in the Tower. Cayde had his partner cornered, bracing his arms on either side of her. She leveled her stare towards him, crossing her arms. Cayde glanced down to her arms then back up to her face. Normally, he’d take in the stance and take a step back, but now... he leaned ever closer, forcing her against the wall.  
  
“So what? Another Guardian can risk themselves instead of me? You know I can’t do that Cayde.” She said with a lethal calm.  
“It’s not the first dangerous mission I’ve taken, you know that. I’ve got G with me, and I’ll be taking a small fire team with me. Zavala asked me to lead this mission for a reason, Cayde. Why can’t you trust me like he does?” She muttered, glancing away from him. Cayde sighed, hanging his head.

“I do, Mara. I do trust you to watch out for yourself. But Zavala’s also put Garsen on your team. He doesn’t play nice with other Titans, especially you, not since you wiped the floor with him. Ikora’s put two of her Warlocks, Harken and Kani, the human twins. They’ll be fine, they’re just... really weird.” He said.

“Weird like Eris?” She teased, poking a finger against his chest. Cayde smirked slightly.  
  
“Slightly. Not as creepy as her.” He said.  
  
“And what about my Hunters? Have you chosen who will join me?” She asked. He sighed.

“If It were up to me, I’d go myself.” He muttered. “But, I had to choose between skill alone or how well my Hunters play with others. I had to choose the skill to keep you and the others alive.” He said, glancing down the hall.

Titian’s tended to live on the same floors, same with Warlocks keeping to Warlocks and Hunters were rarely really at the Tower, but they each had their own rooms. Imara gently cupped his metal cheeks, forcing him to look up at her.

“I’ll be fine. Now tell me who you picked.” She said. He visibly relaxed, his shoulders loosening slightly. He sighed.

“One of my Exo’s, Jayle-34. He’s good, Nightstalker. Good shot, fast, great fighter, even better for scouting ahead.” He said. She raised a brow. 

“How does he do with orders from a Titan?” She asked. Cayde paused for a moment. 

“He’ll listen.” He said. “What class are you going in with?” He asked. 

“Striker. Or would Sentinal be better for this?” She asked. He knew the mission, his opinion was important when it came to the rest of her team. 

“Thought you were a Sunbreaker? We were the ‘Golden Duo’!” He joked. She rolled her eyes. “But either one will keep you and the team alive. So whatever you pick, you’ll be fine.” He said. 

“In the Crucible, I like Sunbreaker. But for this mission, Striker might be my best chance at getting everyone out alive.” She said, leaning against the wall behind her. Cayde snorted slightly.

“Technically, you’re not even supposed to know the full details of the mission. You only know you’re going on a mission with a fire team to help the Awoken Queen.” He said, poking the center of her forehead. She smiled and pulled his fingers back, intertwining her fingers with his.

“You should know by now I don’t always play by the rules.” She teased. He chuckled slightly before glancing down the hall. It was lit, but the lights were dimmed for sleep hours. He leaned forward slightly, resting his forehead against hers, careful of his horn.

“I still don’t want you to go..” He muttered. She opened her mouth but he continued before she could. “But, I can’t control everything you do.” He muttered in defeat. She smiled slightly.

“You can’t control much of _anything_ I do.” She reminded teasingly. He groaned slightly, closing his eyes for a moment. He pulled away after his Ghost beeped with a message. He sighed and stepped away from Imara. She smiled, and gave his hand a squeeze.  
“Your fire team is calling.” She teased. “I’ll talk to you later.” She said before walking away. Cayde watched her go for a moment before Ghost put Zavala through his comms. Imara shook her head slightly as she could clearly hear her Commander’s annoyance with her... partner.

By the time Imara got back to her room, she was ready to collapse on her sleeping pallet and forget everything for a while. That was her plan, but, adrenaline kept her from immediately following through with that. She would revive her fireteam information in the morning from Zavala. She knew her fellow Titan would not be happy being passed over for being team leader. The Warlock twins were... eccentric, but if she can handle Cayde, she can handle the Warlock’s floating about. This Hunter though, Jayle-34, she had never heard of him before. Either he kept to himself, or he simply was just always out and never in the tower. Knowing Hunters, both were likely situations.

Her armor finally off and hanging neatly on a rack in her living area, Imara let out a sigh. She never felt totally secure without her armor, but in her private quarters, she could handle a few hours of exposure. The only public part she had to endure was he shared bathroom with a Human Titan named Lee, a friendly woman at times. But, being an Exo, Imara had little need for a bathroom. She glanced to the small couch pushed against under the window, the curtains closed for the night. She was so... tempted to just collapse _there_. Instead, she turned to the bedroom, walking and rolling her shoulders.

Her apartment was sizable, comfortable for one person. She had shelves filled with former weapons and armors, one that will always hold a special place in her memory core for them. Legendary weapons and armors mostly. A few Engrams scattered around the living room, little treasures she just hadn’t found the time to explore yet. Charts with stars and different systems she’s visited. She even had Win-Lose statistics hanging on the door that her Ghost updates every time she comes back from the Crucible.

“Mara, there’s something on the bed?” G called from the bedroom. She sighed and walked in, expecting to see a pile of armor or Engrams. She paused when she saw it was simply a note with something small and shiny. She walked over, picking up the note and object, taking a seat.

“Analyze this, see what it’s made of.” She said, holding it out for G. He scanned it and whirred around in his shell.

“Just... silver. From the Golden Age, which explains the lack of shine and the smoothness. And the Angel depicted.” She paused, looking up at him, then down at the silver trinket. It was a simple Angel carved into the metal.  
“What does the note say?” He asked. She looked down, holding it out for him to read as she did.

_Mara,_  
_I know you haven’t been home lately, and I know I’m partly to blame for that *wink wink*_  
 _Anyway, I know it’s cheesy as hell, and you’ll probably hit me for it later, but I found this lil trinket in the city, reminded me of you... sorta_  
 _It’s not perfect by any means, it’s got dents and it’s not very shiny, and there not too much detail. But I figured that’s why you’d like it. It’s... imperfect in a perfect way_  
 _Good luck on your next mission, Partner  
Bring back a good story for me_

_— Cayde_  
  
Imara couldn’t help but smile. She glanced towards her Ghost and sighed slightly. He seemed to know and bobbed in the air like a nod.

“What kind of guardian would we be if we didn’t comply?” She said jokingly. He seemed to roll his eye and went over to the desk by the window, where his Guardian had created a little bed for him that also served as a charging space. Imara sighed, relaxing on the bed. She stared blankly at the ceiling, not entirely sure she even wanted to sleep now.


	4. Worth It All

The Black Garden mission was... a success, to say the least. Heavy damage was taken, but no official casualties. Jayle-34 took the worst of the damage unfortunately. Garsen and the Twins were banged up, but were able to walk out of there ships when they arrived. The three Vanguard stood in the hanger, waiting for them. 

 

“Where is the Fire Team Leader?” Zavala asked as Garsen limped up. His armor was burned from Vex shots, he held his left arm which was hastily bandaged. 

 

“She was right behind us with Jay.” He muttered, his helmet still on. Zavala paused, setting a hand on his shoulder. He offered his Titan a nod before letting him pass to the waiting medics. Harken supported most of his sisters weight, keeping her off what looked like a broken ankle. They stood before Ikora, tall and proud, the three Warlocks sharing what seemed like a telepathic conversation. The Vanguard nodded before allowing her two Guardians to seek care. Cayde frowned slightly. 

 

“Care to share with the class?” He said trying to calm the rising anger and anxiety in his gut. Not knowing the condition that his Hunter was in, and then add not knowing Mara's condition made it worse. 

 

“They were injured trying to protect a fallen Jayle-34.” She said simply. Cayde’s stomach jumped to his throat, so to speak. Finally, he say Jayle’s larger ship, landing quickly. The hatch opened, never a good sign, and two figures stepped out. 

 

Imara-582 limped out, Jayle-34 slung over her shoulder. She called out for a stretcher, barley standing on her own feet. His armor was broken, barley hanging off of him. He was unconscious, his head hanging between his shoulders. His forest green paint was chipped and burnt in places, he dragged his feet. The Vanguard rushed over, along with a trauma team. 

 

“What happened?” Zavala asked as Imara managed to get Jayle on the stretcher. G appeared and handed Imara Jayle’s helmet. She looked down at it then at her fellow Exo. She gently set it besides his hand, setting a hand on his shoulder. His ghost, along with the other Ghosts around him, began trying to piece him together again. 

 

“Garsen ran ahead without the team, disregarding my orders.” Imara began in a mutter. “Jayle followed him as the twins and I handled the remaining Vex. When we finished and ran ahead, Garsen and Jayle were fighting a second giant Vex Gate Lord. It was... a statue that the Darkness brought to life. Garsen was careless and I used Super to guard his back. Harken and Kani were defending us while we fought the Gate Lord.” She paused, glancing to Jayle as he was rushed to the medical wing. G floated near her, taking her helmet off. Her eyes were dimmed, parts of her blue was chipped. 

“We managed to defeat the second Gate Lord. The final one came and... it was difficult. I ran defense with Jayle and Kani, occasionally taking shots at the Gate Lord. It was close to the end, Garsen stopped and pulled out his heavy weapons, some modified rocket. A Minotaur teleported behind him, neither I or the Twins were close enough to get him. Jayle was. We didn’t even see him until it was too late, his Super destroying the Minotaur in one shot. But not after it got a shot out. Jayle took the brunt of it, but let Garsen take the final shot. The final Gate Lord went down, and the Darkness was stopped. Garsen hardly noticed Jayle laying there.” She muttered bitterly, looking down the hall where the Titan disappeared with the Warlocks and Hunter. 

 

Cayde turned to Zavala and Ikora. “Something needs to be done then. My Hunter was hurt and nearly killed.” He grumbled, crossing his arms. “He put the rest of the team at risk.” He added. 

 

“He’ll be put on probation until further notice. I’d like to hear his side as well.” Zavala said. 

 

“Sir, G recorded the mission. Thought it would be... a memorable one.” Imara spoke up. G bobbed slightly as a nod, turning to Imara. Zavala nodded slightly, glancing to her. 

 

“I will talk with Garsen first.” He said, setting a hand on her shoulder. “Go get yourself checked out.” He said, turning and walking away with Ikora. Cayde paused, scanning over his Partner. 

 

“Mara-“ She held up a hand, stopping him. Her eyes darkened slightly and she frowned. 

 

“Don’t.” She muttered, stepping past him. She set a hand against his chest, something cold against his chest. He brought a hand up, trying to cover hers, only she slipped away, leaving a silver trinket against his chest. 

~~

Imara got herself cleaned up and had a new patchwork job done on her left leg. She was in less armor than usual, standing outside Jayle’s room. She sighed, stepping inside. He was offline, but alive. His Ghost was in rest mode besides his hand on the bed. She stood besides him, pulling up a chair. 

“We were never truly friends, but you had my back when I needed you.” She muttered. “I took you on this mission and you got hurt. Things happen, I understand that, believe me I understand.” She said. “But, if there’s anything I can do to prevent it, you know I will.” She admitted. “In truth, I should be in this bed. Not you.” She admitted. 

 

“Don’t... even try...” She looked up slightly to see his brilliant blue eyes. She huffed slightly, leaning forward. She rested her elbows on her knees. 

 

“Good to see you up. Wasn’t expecting it honestly.” She admitted. He coughed heavily, wheezing and trying to breath. 

 

“I did my job... even if Garsen doesn’t.. thank me.” He muttered jokingly. "You damn Titans... trying to always take... the glory of battle..." He snorted, or attempted to. It mostly came off as a weak chuckle. “Thanks... for gettin me.. home.” He said, turning his head slightly towards her. Imara smiled slightly, setting a hand on his arm. 

 

“Fire team leader, it was my job.” She said. “Besides, Exo’s look out for each other.” She added. He snorted slightly. 

 

“You know that ain’t true.” He joked. “Unfortunately... I'm now stuck in this damn tower.” He muttered. She chuckled, patting his arm. 

 

“Yeah yeah. Poor Hunter, unable to live in the wilds.” She teased. He chuckled, but it turned into a coughing fit. She sighed and stood. “I’ll let you rest, call the docs for you too.” She said. “We should work together again. We make a good team.” She said and left. Jayle’s doctor and his nurse were in the room before Imara made it down the hall. 

 

“Incoming message from Cayde-6.” G announced. She sighed, shaking her head. 

 

“He'll leave a message. I need some time to think.” She said and walked out of the hospital wing. "I need to work on the ship, I'll need your help." She added, patting G. He moved away from her and nodded. 

 

"If you insist. I still say you should rest." He said. Imara shrugged, turning towards the Hanger where Holliday was no doubt yelling about the state of certain ships. 

 

“Don’t go running off just yet.” She paused as she was about to leave the courtyard. She sighed and turned to see Cayde leaning against a wall, mostly hidden by shadows. He looked around and pushed himself from the wall, walking over to her. 

“Why’d you run off when you got back and you’ve been ignoring my calls.” He said. 

 

“I needed time to think. Still do, so do us both a favor and give me time and space.” She stated, crossing her arms. Cayde raised a brow, slightly annoyed and worried. 

 

“Not sure where this attitude is coming from. Also not sure why you gave this back." He said, tossing the little trinket back to her. G caught it before it hit her or the ground. He decided to store it away in her void cache. 

 

“I had G do some research on ‘Angels’ from the Golden Age.” She started. “They were warriors and messengers of God, just in everything they do. They protected mankind from the demons of Hell and Lucifer, a fallen angel. Angel’s were revered and loved by mankind.” She finished, her tone was quiet and almost dangerous. 

 

“Didn’t know that. But now that I do, seems like it fits you even more.” He stated casually. Imara snorted,  crossing her arms. 

“It was a gift, whether you wanted it or not.” He said. She glanced to G and nodded. He disappeared to do some 'house work' on her storage of armor and weapons. 

 

“Doesn’t mean I deserve to keep it.” She muttered. Cayde paused for a moment, his eyes flickering. 

 

“You went to see Jayle. You saved his ass when a fellow Titan left him probably for dead. Let that be a thank you from a Hunter. Least of all the Hunter Vanguard.” He said. She glanced to where G was and sighed, her partner giving them some privacy.  

 

“If it makes you feel better, Vanguard.” She said curtly, turning and starting to walk away. 

 

“Mara, stop.” She did, surprisingly. “What’s going on? Talk to me. We’re partners, aren’t we?” He said, on the verge of snapping at her. 

 

“We handle things differently. The mission was a success, yes. But in the process, I almost lost Jayle, the Twins and even Garsen. I was supposed to keep them safe and alive.” She muttered. 

 

“You did. They’re all safe and home now, the Twins are on the mend. Garsen even said something about being willing to follow you into battle again.” He said, taking a step closer to her. She looked up at him. 

 

“I nearly forgot again, Cayde. Whatever the darkness was, it nearly wiped me for some reason.  Why do you think I had G recording? Everything, from big missions to small ones, walking around the tower, eating with friends. Being with you...” She trailed off. “G records it all. So if I forget, I’m not... lost.” Cayde was quiet for a moment. For once, probably for the first time, he didn’t exactly have a remark, a  witty comeback for this. Instead, he stepped up, and wrapped his arms around her tightly. She didn’t even fight back, push him away. She wrapped her arms around him, hiding her face. If she could cry, she would. 

"You're not alone, Mara. Not anymore." He muttered, gently cradling the back of her head. "We're in this thing together. And we've got time, I doubt our Ghosts would let us die willingly." He tried to make a joke, to get her to laugh or punch his shoulder and call him an idiot. He sighed, pulling back and resting his forehead against hers. 

"Were going to the Belt tonight. You and me, whatdya say?" He suggested. She looked up at him, then towards the training grounds. 

 

"Give me time to work on the wreck that is my ship. But... I'll meet you down there." She said, stepping out of his arms. She smiled slightly, holding onto his hands for a moment longer as she stepped away towards the hanger. 

 

"I'll hold you to it, Mara." He teased, glancing towards the Hall. He should get some paperwork done, make it seem like he's a good Vanguard. She smiled towards him again and nodded. 

 

"I expect you to, Cayde." She turned and walked towards the Hanger. Working on her ship should give her more time to clear her head before spending time with Cayde. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Took a while, but I got it done!


End file.
